Warranties and Digital Goods: Redefining Consumer Protection in a Post-Physical Marketplace

The rise of digital goods — apps, software subscriptions, streaming libraries, in-game purchases, e-books, cloud-based tools — has transformed the consumer landscape. Yet while physical products have long been supported by clear warranty rights, return policies, and expectations of durability, digital goods occupy an ambiguous legal space. They can vanish, change form, or lose functionality overnight due to platform decisions, licensing disputes, or discontinued support.